Our May story: 'The Zero's Journey'
A story about a number who thought he was nothing but turned out to be a hero
320 Sycamore Studios believes that reading with kids can change the world for the better. Each month (except for August), we publish one original story and one post on books and reading. We never use AI — everything is written by a human.
Hiya —
Orson Scott Card once wrote that the best ideas often start with mistakes.
“After all, a mistake wasn’t planned. It isn’t likely to be a cliche. All you have to do is think of a reason why the mistake isn’t a mistake at all, and you might have something fresh and wonderful, something to stimulate a story you never thought of quite that way before.”
It’s such a lovely sentiment. And ohbytheway, this month’s story came from a kind of mistake. I was goofing around with the phrase, “the hero's journey,” rearranging letters and turning it over in my mind like a lozenge.
When I landed on “the zero's journey,” it, indeed, stimulated a story. I started asking myself questions. What if Zero was a character? (Let’s say he was a “he.”) What would he want in life? Would he feel empty inside (ha)? What would he be willing to do to feel like a whole number? What if the other numbers made fun of Zero for looking like a donut / a bagel / a life preserver? Etc.
Anyway, one thing led to another and I ended up with the story below. I hope your kiddos like it.
“The Zero’s Journey” should be suitable for most younger readers. I do mention zombies, and there’s some mild potty humor.
And, as with all 320 Sycamore stories, feel free to print or copy or share “The Zero’s Journey” however you like. The idea is just to get kids reading.
Chapter 0. Jet Pack Zero
For a long time, Zero felt that the other numbers, except for his best friend Five, didn't really like him for who he was, but only because he made a good life preserver for their beach parties.
So when he woke up on the morning of the Annual Number Talent Show he was thinking three thoughts:
1. I really really really want to win this year.
2. If I win, all the other numbers in Numbertown will like me.
3. If they like me, I will finally feel like a whole number.
Zero rolled out of bed, feeling ready. He had, after all, spent an entire year practicing his special talent. Five had helped him, cheering and pushing and offering suggestions and fetching ice and bandages for sprains and scrapes. Just like best friends do.
After breakfast, Zero closed his eyes and did his mental practice.
He'd be waiting backstage of the Summer Numbertown Outdoor Theater. Emcee Kevin would call his name. Zero would walk calmly onstage wearing his star-spangled flight suit and his shimmering silver jet pack. He would bow to the audience.
A thousand children from Bedtime City would hold their breath, waiting.
Zero would punch the starter button, ignite a cloud of smoke and fire, and then rocket skyward amid an eruption of cheering, up-up-up into the atmosphere, out to the edge of vision, and then ... his jetpack would stutter
kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh
and stop
pffffffffttttt
and Zero would plummet.
Down.
Down.
Down.
Right toward the audience! Slow at first then faster and faster and faster and the crowd would be gasping and gawking until just at the last second ...
VROOOOOOM!
... he would restart his engine and soar skyward once more into spirals and corkscrews and loops.
For the grand finale, he'd spell his name across the sky for all to see ...
Z E R O
... then land gently onstage to cataclysmic applause.
The Annual Number Talent Show would end right then and there, of course. Because what could ever be better than Jet Pack Zero?
Zero would win.
The other numbers would love him.
Three, he'd feel whole.
That was the plan. But there was a problem. Where was Five?
Five and Zero were supposed to go to the show together.
Five was his best friend. His good luck charm. His inspiration. Five believed in him. They were in this together.
As the minutes ticked by, Five was nowhere to be found. Zero trudged to the show by himself. As he trudged, he got worried. Worry turned into despair. Despair turned fear.
What had happened to his friend?!
Zero didn’t know, but by the time Emcee Kevin called his name, Zero drifted in a sea of sadness.
Still, this was show business, and in show business, the show must go on. No matter what.
Zero shambled onstage wearing his star-spangled flight suit and his shimmering silver jet pack. But instead of flying, all he could do was mumble-sing some words.
“Bad news, you kids. I won't be jet-packing.
Nothing can soar if their heart is lacking.
Something has happened. A bad thing, I fear.
Five is my best friend, but Five isn’t here.
Did he fall down? Is he trapped in a pit?
Did he meet a pack of snakes and get bit?
Was he on a boat and then the boat sank,
then pirates snatched him and said, “Walk the plank”?
What if he tripped off a cliff and fell far
now he's a zombie who only says ‘GARRR!!!’
I didn’t save him. I'm not a hero.
I'm empty inside. I’m just a zero.”
Zero trudged offstage.
The audience didn't really know what to do so they all clapped zero times, just to be polite.
It was a sad beginning to the Annual Number Talent Show.
Good thing One was up next.
Chapter 1. One Runs
There came a commotion at the back of the theater.
Some one was making a lot of noise.
But it wasn’t just any one.
Emcee Kevin took the microphone. “Do you hear that rocking ruckus? Do you hear that wild whooping? Do you hear that howling and a-yowling and a-hollering getting loud and louder and louderer? Why, it’s that reckless runner, that superior sprinter, that daring dasher ...
… One!”
One burst in from the back of the theater, sprinted up the center aisle, and bounded up the steps to the stage.
He urged the audience to greater noise, and then, with a sudden slice of his hands, silenced them completely.
One spoke into the hush.
“The others are nothing. I always come first!”
Zero grumbled backstage, “That One is the worst.”
One heard him, and said to the crowd, “How about we get Zero back out here, so he can see what a real hero looks like?”
The audience roared.
Zero shuffled back onstage.
One placed him center stage and said “Hold still.” One jogged to stage left, pivoted suddenly, and ran full speed right at Zero. At the last moment, One dove through the middle of Zero, tumbled, bounced up high in the air, and spun into a twisting double back flip. He stuck the landing.
Delirium.
And that was just the beginning.
For the next five minutes, One tumbled, twirled, and twisted himself in displays of acrobatic derring-do all across the stage.
When he was done, he leaped into the audience and crowd-surfed his way toward the theater exits, singing,
‘I am the be-all, the end-all the One.
You all can't be me, but you can have fun.
I always win in whatever I do.
I'm really glad I don't have to be Two.
And though it may seem like we've just begun.
We're done here, kiddos. I'm One and I won.”
He landed softly on his feet, of course, took a bow, and away he ran.
Applause rained down by the bucketful.
Zero slunk off the stage. Humiliated again.
Chapter 2. Two’s Blues
Many minutes later, when the audience had finally quieted down, Emcee Kevin introduced the next number.
"Please give a warm welcome to Two."
There was polite applause as Two walked out onstage with his guitar.
"Hello," he whispered, sitting himself down on a stool, "my name is Two. This here's a blues song. It's called Two's Blues. It's about how hard it is to be me. You might not get it.”
There were rustly fidgets in the crowd and a couple groans.
Two began to sing in his sad scratchy voice.
“Problems for me always come by the pair
so I sit all sadlike and I stare at the air
hoping for someone who might someday care
how double troubles are doubly unfair.
Why won't people help? Oh, why can't they see?
One though he runs is just one half of me.
Four is a bore. Five has got himself gone.
Eight and Nine juggle. Pi goes on and on.
Six predicts and Zero left me unstirred.
Seven has never stood out from the herd.
I want to be first, not second or third.
If I lose to One I'll feel just like a ... ”
Three interrupted. She couldn't take it anymore.
“Hey, Two!” she called, walking onstage. “It worked!”
Two stopped. “What worked?”
“Your blues. We get it. We’re all sad now.”
“Great,” Two said.
“But not for long,” Three replied. “It’s laugh time. How about a round of applause for Two everybody?”
The audience clapped a little bit.
Chapter 3. Three Went Pee
Three swiped the microphone off its stand, hustled Two offstage, and launched into her comedy routine.
“Hey, folks. You're a really great crowd. Funny thing happened to me on the way to the theater. I was leaning up against a mirror and someone said, “Eight you're great.”
“I said, ‘Who you calling Eight?’ And I split.”
Three paused.
Nobody got the joke.
Three rolled her eyes.
“O-kay. I'll tell you another joke while you figure that one out.”
“Knock knock,” she said.
“Who's there?” called the audience.
“If Five,” said Three.
“If Five who?"
“If Five heard one knock-knock joke, I've heard ‘em all.”
Nobody got that one, either.
Three spoke very slowly. “Let’s try one more, children. If that doesn't work, we’ll do something different. All right: What do you call me when I go to the dentist?”
Three paused.
"A number number. Get it? A ‘nummer’ num-ber?”
The audience groaned.
“New approach,” shouted Three. “How about we talk about pee and poo?”
The audience cheered. Everyone loves talking about pee and poo.
“I'll need a little help from my friends, though. Zero, One, Two — can you guys come back out here?”
The other numbers walked back onstage. One grinned wildly. Zero fretted. Two slouched.
Three handed each number a short script. “Just follow my lead, digits.” She gave Emcee Kevin a card and told him to read it.
Emcee Kevin eyed the card and said to Three, “Really?”
“Really,” said Three.
Emcee Kevin cleared his throat. “A short play called ‘Three Went Pee.’ ”
Three clapped her hands and began. “Hi, I'm Three and I went pee.”
One: “Pee is ‘one,’ so you went ‘me’?”
Three: “Two, too.”
One: “Are you saying, Three, that 1) you went one and two, or 2) Two went one, too?”
Three: “One: I went you and Two, too.”
Zero: “Poo. Eww!”
Two: “I went one, too.”
Zero: “Buckle my shoe. Two went one. What did One do?”
One: “I, too, went one and two.”
Zero: “Poo. Eww!”
Two: “Quiet, you! So, One went one and two?”
One: “I did, it's true. I went me and I went you.”
Zero: “Let me see if I understand: Three went pee, which is one, and two which is poo; One: too; Two: one.”
Two: “I went two, too.”
Three: “You, too, went two, Two?”
Zero: “So One, Two, and Three went one and two?”
One, Two, Three: “True.”
Zero: “I'm through.”
Three: “How come nobody ever goes me? ... The end!”
The audience laughed so hard they all farted.
The numbers all took a happy bow. Even Zero felt good for a moment.
Until he thought of Five.
Where was he?
Chapter Pi. Pi Not
“Boys and girls,” said Emcee Kevin, “please give a warm welcome to Pi.”
The audience moaned. It happened every year. The show would be going along fine and then came Pi, the weird number between Three and Four that went on forever and made the show feel like it would never, ever end.
But when Emcee Keven saw that Pi was running late, he didn't delay a moment. “Boys and girls, let’s move along. Fast. Please give a warm welcome to Four.”
Before Four could even get started, however, a kid in the cheap seats shouted, “This show's over, give it to Three!”
“One was the best. One won!” shouted someone else.
Chants rose up in the theater.
“Three!”
“One!”
“Three!”
“One!”
Poor Four. He hadn't even started.
To be honest, though, Four usually was kind of boring. He always talked about himself. Then, after that, he would talk about himself some more.
Perhaps this year would be different.
Maybe this year, he’d be interesting.
Until he started talking, he actually was.
Chapter 4. Four's a Bore
Four walked onstage wearing a loincloth.
And nothing else.
The audience was too stunned to make any sound at all.
“Thank you for holding your applause to the end,” said Four in a really boring voice. “Please turn your attention to my interpretive dance.”
Three interrupted from off-stage. She couldn't resist. “Hey, Four. You're looking sharp! What's your secret?”
“Thank you Three," said Four importantly. And the monologue began.
“Well, boys and girls, I know you are looking forward to my dance, but I will tell you my secret as you will likely find it instructive. The secret to looking sharp is regular flossing. I floss many times a day to get all the fractions out of the inside of my numeral. That way, I keep a triangular sharpness other numbers find so attractive. Why, just the other day, Eight and Nine were saying to me, ‘Four, we just wish we had your angles.’ Well, you can’t all be me, but you can floss. Anyway, to get back to my story, I always keep a good supply of floss on hand. Waxed, unwaxed, thick, mint-flavored, spearmint-flavored, wintermint-flavored, and more. I will now demonstrate proper flossing technique. First ... ”
That's as far as Four got.
The entire back wall of the theater crashed down. There was shouting and dust and hubbub and when the shouts stopped and the dust settled and the hubbub un-hubbubbed, there stood Five.
“GARRR!!!” he growled. “GARRR!!!” “GARRR!!!”
The other numbers gawked.
“Five!” Zero shouted, “you’re alive! Hi, Five! High-five!”
Zero stopped, hand in mid-air. Something wasn't right. Zero backed away.
“The show must go on!” shouted Emcee Kevin. “Five is Aliiiiive!”
Chapter 5. Five is Aliiiiive!
But Five wasn’t really alive. Zero’s worst fears had come true. Five was a zombie.
“GARRR!!!”
Before the other numbers could figure out that he was a zombie, however, Five nibbled Two and nibbled Three.
The audience cheered. They thought it was part of the show. They cheered more when Five gnawed Four.
“Hey, Five, don't forget to floss,” some kid shouted. “Best show EVER” wheezed another.
One realized what was happening and sprinted away.
Five, Two, Three, and Four watched him go for a moment, then lurched toward Zero.
“GARRR!!!” “GARRR!!!” “GARRR!!!” “GARRR!!!”
Zero panicked. He did not save the remaining numbers and the kids from Bedtime City. Instead, he squeezed the handle of his jetpack and blasted away. The cheering below only made him feel more ashamed as he rose into the air.
High in the sky, his jetpack stuttered kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh and conked out pffffffffttttt. Zero opened his parachute and drifted down toward the theater.
Intermission
Five wandered off the back of the stage and into the fields beyond, with the other now-zombie numbers trailing behind him.
Chapter 6. Six Predicts
The stage was a shambles, but you know what they say — the show must go on.
Emcee Kevin peeked out from behind the podium. “Here’s Six,” he whispered.
Six entered the stage with a crystal ball, a table, and a chair. He set up the table, placed the crystal ball on top, and pulled two small tabletop signs from his robe. The first sign said: “Six Predicts.” The second sign said, “I'm always right.”
With the stage all busted down, he could see miles across the fields in the distance behind. He looked behind him, then slowly turned around to face the audience.
“I predict the return of One.”
Sure enough, up sprinted One.
“You totally saw him coming!” a boy in the audience yelled.
One stood panting on the stage. “I have to tell you something, Six. It’s about Five. You didn't see it. You were back in your dressing room.”
“Silence,” roared Six. “I predict One will tell me something about Five.”
“You already knew that,” shouted a girl.
“Speak, One, Six commanded.
One rolled his eyes. “We have to go, Six. Five is ... ”
“ ... not here,” said Six, triumphantly.
“Obvious!” yelled another boy.
“And now, one last prediction. I predict Pi will be late again.”
“Pi’s already late!” one boy shouted. The audience was getting impatient.
“Oh, look, here's Pi,” said Six. “Late. Just as I predicted.”
Six packed up his table and crystal ball and moved offstage.
Chapter Pi Retry. Pi Goes On and On and On
“Everybody, welcome Pi,” said Emcee Kevin, pushing an upright piano onstage. “Where have you been?” he whispered to Pi.
“I lost some digits this morning on my way here. I'm not sure what happened. I'm hoping nobody notices.”
“I think you'll be just fine,” Emcee Kevin reassured her.
“I came anyway,” Pi continued. “You know what they say ... ”
“Yes, yes, I do,” sighed Emcee Kevin.
“ ... the Pi must go on.”
And with that, Pi was ready to dance. “Hit it!”
Emcee Kevin began to bang out a lively ragtime tune on the piano.
The sound of thousands of tapping feet filled the air as Pi slowly danced her way across the stage, weaving in and around herself.
The tapping was fast and rhythmic. The crowd got grooving. Until they realized that the dance could go on forever. That it would go on forever, or at least until Pi got tired.
Pi showed no signs of getting tired.
Emcee Kevin did. He began to sweat.
One folded his arms and scowled from the side of the stage. Every few seconds he scanned the fields for zombies.
Six raised his voice to be heard over the music. “I predict this could go on forever.”
“Duh!” someone yelled.
On and on danced Pi.
Emcee Kevin pounded away heroically at the piano, but he was starting to tire. He couldn't go on much longer.
Yet Pi danced on.
Six made one last prediction. “Something unexpected will happen and ... ”
No one heard the rest of the prediction, because just at that moment, something unexpected did happen. Five popped out from behind a wall and munched Six.
“Good prediction, Six!” yelled one kid.
Pi stopped. The music also stopped because Emcee Kevin climbed inside his piano and hid.
One turned to run, but he sprinted right into Two, Three and Four. They zombied him. One's fun was done.
Pi got zombied, too, and the zombieness spread through her. She lumbered out the back of the broken stage and headed toward the woods as the other zombienumbers shuffled after.
Some of the kids in the audience fainted with happiness.
How could this show get any better?
Chapter 00: Zero Feels Empty Inside
Zero came floating down from the sky and came to rest on a side wall of the theater. A curiousbird landed next to him.
Everyone in the audience now turned their attention to Zero.
Including the curiousbird, who stared at him fiercely.
“What!” said Zero to the bird.
“What are you?” the curiousbird asked.
“I'm nothing,” said Zero.
“No, you're something,” said the curiousbird. She squinted her little bird eyes. “I know! You are a donut!”
“I'm not a donut.”
“You're a bagel.”
“I'm not a bagel.”
“Inner tube? Hula hoop? Bundt cake?”
“I'm naught. I'm naught. I'm naught.”
“‘Not’ like you aren’t? Or ‘knot’ like a shoelace? Or ‘naught’ like ‘nothing’?
“‘Naught’ like ‘nothing.’”
“You say ‘naught’ a lot,” said the curiousbird.
“That’s what I feel,” said Zero. “What’s a Bundt cake?”
“It's a cake that looks like you. Are you looking for Five?”
“He's a zombie.”
“Then you'll have to unzombie him.”
“How do you unzombie something?”
“Well, you turn into a zombie when you get too much glums. And it gets to infecting everybody around you. You have to sing the sad out and so the happy can get back in.”
“What do you mean ‘sing the sad out’?” asked Zero.
“Get happy and sing about stuff you love. For me it's sunshine, a good breeze, and fresh worms. Hey! I just figured out what you are!”
“I told you,” said Zero, “I'm naught.”
“Nope. You’re a life preserver! Bye.”
“How do I get happy?” shouted Zero. But the curiousbird had gone.
“A life preserver?” Zero said.
He looked at the audience. The audience looked at him.
The show must go on, he thought. But why must the show go on?
The answer came from deep inside Zero, from his center, which he had always thought was just an empty hole. But now he realized it wasn't a hole, it was a window, a window to something bigger than himself. To an answer.
The show must go on because numbers all count on each other. They need each other. They all matter. Even me.
Zero stood up. “Maybe I am a life preserver!” he shouted. He broke into a little song.
“Living is like jetpack-soaring.
Up and down but never boring.
Though bad times come and ill winds blow
good times return. And so we grow.
Any time you feel life stinging,
grab some friends and just start singing.”
Zero blasted off to find the zombies. Below him, a thousand cheers erupted.
Chapter 7. Seven is …
Emcee Kevin climbed out of his piano. “Now for a magic act,” he announced.
“Where's Seven?” someone called.
Emcee Kevin smiled mysteriously, reaching for the hidden zipper at the back of his neck.
And he unzipped right out of himself.
He wasn't Emcee Kevin at all. He was Seven!
The audience, which thought it was beyond surprise, somehow found the energy to applaud one more time.
Seven spoke.
“Believe it, it's true. I'm Seven, you all.
You asked for surprise. I answered the call.
Looks like I'm best. Please clap for your winner!”
Five clomped onstage.
“Uh oh,” said Kevin. “Looks like I'm dinner.”
Seven's last words as Five carried him off were, “The show must go onnnnn ...”
Chapter 8 and 9. Going for the Jugglers
The juggling team of Eight and Nine stepped nervously onstage, each carrying an armful of bowling pins.
Moments later, both got zombied.
Chapter 10. Zero Returns!
The zombienumbers all wandered back to the stage and milled about going “GARRR!!!”
Then, they realized that the only nonzombies were the audience.
They shuffled forward.
“GARRR!!!”
“Help, help!” kids yelled.
“GARRR!!!”
“I'm here to preserve you!” shouted Zero, jet-packing into the theater and landing center stage.
The zombienumbers surrounded him.
“We all just have to sing!” shouted Zero. “Come on, all together now. …
“Living is like jetpack-soaring. ... ”
Five tackled Zero. Zero kept singing.
“Up and down but never boring.”
The other numbers piled on. Zero sang on.
“Though bad times come and ill winds blow ... ”
Five opened his mouth wide to take a bite.
But then a song came out.
Chapter 11: The Final Number
Pretty soon all the numbers joined in and because they sang and kept singing they sang the sad out and the happy came roaring back in.
Singing will do that.
The numbers unzombied, and when they unpiled, they were all back to their original selves again.
The theater bubbled with happy delirium. When the tumult had calmed down a bit, Emcee Seven stepped to the microphone.
“Thank you, thank you for being such a terrific audience, kids of Bedtime City. Now, here's Zero to say good night.”
Zero took the microphone. “My fellow numbers, boys and girls of Bedtime City, all you curiousbirds in the sky, won't you all please join in for our final number?”
Zero began to sing. Everyone joined him.
“Since this song's our final number.
may it serenade your slumber.
Remember, kiddos, when you wake,
whatever path in life you take,
you're gonna soar, you're gonna fall —
so sing your song despite it all.
Anytime you feel like zero,
just be you. You'll be a hero.”
“Good night, everybody!” said Zero. “See you next year!”
Epilogue
As they walked home that night, those best friends Zero and Five glowed with happiness.
“Well, Five, we did it,” said Zero. “Thanks for playing such a great zombie.”
“Role of a lifetime,” said Five. “Thanks for the idea, my round buddy.”
“My pleasure, my flat-topped amigo,” said Zero. “Thanks for getting all the other numbers to join in.”
“My pleasure,” said Five.
They walked on a while in companionable silence.
“Hey, Five.”
“Mmm?”
“Do you think we fooled the audience?” asked Zero.
“Sure seemed like it,” Five replied.
“What about the readers. Do you think they thought you and the other numbers were really zombies?”
Five looked at Zero and smiled a small smile and said …
“GARRR!!!”